Mo Amer to star in new Netflix stand-up special, comedy series

Palestinian-American stand-up comedian and writer Mohammed “Mo” Amer will star in two new Netflix shows, entertainment news outlet Variety has reported.

The first, a new comedy special “Mo Amer: Mohammed in Texas”, is set to premiere on 30 November.

The one-hour set, shot in his hometown Houston, covers universal themes like the trials and tribulations of the stock market to the pandemic, as well as more niche topics like the art of swearing in Arabic and the Arab cultural invasion of the West by way of bidets and shisha lounges.

The second show is a much anticipated scripted comedy series co-created by fellow Arab-American Ramy Youssef, creator of the award-winning comedy-drama "Ramy".

The series, which has no title or premiere date as of yet, will follow fictional Palestinian refugee Mo Najjar on his convoluted journey to US citizenship. 

The series is about family, providing for loved ones, and navigating the multitude of cultures, languages, and “bull***t” that make up modern America, Variety said it had learned from Netflix. It is slated to be eight half-hour episodes.

The show is “inspired by my own life”, Amer said in a statement earlier this week, adding that he wanted people to see “the Houston I know and love… that raised me and embraced me as a refugee”. 

Amer shared a screenshot of the Variety article in an Instagram post on Thursday.

“I’ve always had a vision to put it down for my city. To be present for my family”, he said in the accompanying caption.

Both shows will be produced by US entertainment company A24.

Amer’s previous Netflix stand-up special “The Vagabond” was released in 2018. He has also performed with Muslim comedy troupe “Allah made me funny”.